The Crying Cherry

Oddball legends of Japanese psychological banditry

Using an almost entirely made-up language, whip-crack precise movement and mind-boggling vocal sound effects, this oddball delight, riffing on Japanese samurai movies, tells the story of two brothers separated in childhood after a prophecy. The real joy isn’t in the story, but in the hilarious facial expressions, sweat, contortions and glee that the two performers endure telling it. And it includes one of the best-mimed swordfights this side of Monty Python.